Optical disks are now commercially available storage media for storage of audio program material as well as digital information. The optical discs, whether storing audio program information or digital data, are generally sold in dedicated containers. While optical discs used for storage of digital information have a capacity much larger than that of a more conventional floppy disc, they are of course limited in the amount of data they can store. An even more severe limitation is found when the optical media are used to store audio program information because typically the commercial products store on the order of about 1 hour of audio program information. Therefore, a user typically has many optical discs and therefore the need for convenient storage of the optical discs for ready retrieval. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container for the storage of optical discs which enables the user to have those discs available for ready retrieval.
In accordance with the present invention the optical discs are stored in the containers within which they are puchased. Therefore, the present invention can be more aptly termed a container for optical disc containers. In accordance with the present invention, a prime component of the invention is a rectangular frame which has external length and width dimensions large enough so as to accommodate a pair of optical disc containers therein. The rectangular frame component of the present invention includes an optical disc container support so that an optical disc container can be contained within interior dimensions of the rectangular frame and be supported by the optical disc container support. By locating a first pair of optical disc containers on one side of the support, and another pair of optical disc containers on the other side of the support, the rectangular frame can accommodate four optical disc containers. The optical disc contaienr of the present invention further includes a pair of generally planar members which are each associated with frame means, so that each of the planar members can accommodate an additional two optical disc containers. Thus in accordance with the present invention, the optical disc container can store up to 8 dedicated optical disc containers.
The rectangular frame and the planar members are secured together to form a book-like assembly wherein the planar members and the rectangulars frame are rotatably secured together so that they function like leaves in a book.
Preferably, the optical disc container support and the planar members are each associated with adhesive-type attachment means for actually securing the optical disc container to either the optical disc container support or the planar members, respectively.
Preferably, the rectangular frame and each of the frame means associated with the generally planar members include permanent magnets for releasably retaining the rectangular frame and the generally planar members adjacent each other.
The rectangular frame and the frame means associated with the generally planar members further include edge cutouts to enable the user to open an optical disc container, while the container is retained within either the rectangular frame or the frame means.
Thus, in accordance with one aspect the invention provides a storage container for optical discs comprising:
at least one rectangular frame, said rectangular frame having interior and exterior dimensions with an interior length greater than twice a width of a conventional optical disc container, an interior width greater than a length of a conventional optical disc container and a depth greater than a depth of a conventional optical disc container,
a pair of rigid, generally planar members, each of a length and width greater than the exterior length and width of said rectangular frame,
hinge means joining said rigid, generally planar members into a book-like assembly providing for rotational movement for said rigid, generally planar members relative to each other about a longitudinal axis of said hinge means,
at least one rigid optical disc container support, said support having a length and width slightly less than the inside dimensions of said rectangular frame so that said support can be inserted into said rectangular frame, and
securing means for securing said rectangular frame to said book-like assembly.